A New Understanding
by Christina1
Summary: This story was written directly after I watched the ending of DBGT. I'm not going to say anything further...just read it to find out...you'd be surprised...Ja ne!


This story was written directly after I watched the very last epidsode of Dragon Ball GT. After watching it, I had a new understanding of each and every character, especially Pan. I now see that, yeah, Trunks and Pan do have a special relationship that no one would ever understand. So I am proud to say that after watching DBGT, all my stories will be based on the characters now that I know what they're really like at the end of DBGT. So please stay tuned, because I now have new found love for T&P even more...Ja ne!  
  
-Christina  
  
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Pan watched as Goku was whisked away on the dragon. Trunks had flown into the air and encouraged her to follow her, they needed to get home after all. She looked around and noted there was something on the ground. She grabbed the fabric that lay on the ground.  
  
"Take care of that. That's all that's left." Vegeta said before taking off into the sky.  
  
"Don't worry Vegeta-san, I will treasure it as if it were the most precious thing on the planet." Pan said, wanting to sob.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Goten put Chi Chi down softly. "Come on mom, let's get ready to eat. You might have to make a lot, dad's probably going to be hungry." Goten grinned as he ran up to take a quick shower.  
  
Chi Chi smiled for her son, and waited for him to leave. As soon as he was in the shower, she began to cry. She cried for her pain, her misfortune, and her son. She knew Goku wouldn't be coming home, but unfortunately, Goten didn't.  
  
"He thinks Goku is coming home." Chi Chi sobbed to herself. She didn't know what to do. So she went on just like she always did when Goku left, but how much more of this could she take. "Please Dende, watch over us all. Don't let anyone get hurt, and don't let any new threat come upon us. I couldn't bear for Goten and Gohan to leave me too, and to never see them again would drive me over the edge."  
  
She began to cry and chop away at the various vegetables.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Vegeta landed on the secluded island. What was he supposed to do now? There was no Kakarotto, the only one who was actually worth a challenge on this desolate island.  
  
"Now I truly am alone." Vegeta said, thinking of the annihilation of his people. Now the only other full blooded one was gone. For the first time in his life, he cried over something that was actually worth his tears. He was truly alone in this world now, no one would ever understand, not even the hybrids.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Trunks landed once he noticed that Pan didn't follow him into the sky. He saw her form on the ground in a curled up ball. He knew she was crying, and he himself had mixed feelings about Goku leaving. He sat down next to her. She needed someone at a time like this. She was strong around everyone else, but what was she to do now? He put his arm around her, and he let her cry until the sunset, both having an equal understanding on what each was feeling.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Goten came bouncing down the stairs and saw that dinner was ready. He saw his mother sitting at the table, waiting for him.  
  
"Mom, how come there's only two places set? What about dad? Are you eating?" Goten automatically asked.  
  
"Goten, I want you to sit down." Chi Chi said. She had to set her son straight before he was hurt. Goten did as he was told, and he sat down, eager to hear what his mother had to say. "I want you to eat first, and then we can talk." Chi Chi said, knowing very well that if she told him what she needed to say, he wouldn't eat.  
  
"Okay." Goten said. Wanting to hear what his mother had to say, he practically swallowed his food without chewing. In five minutes, he was done consuming what was on the table, and even managed to clean many of the plates.  
  
Chi Chi looked up and noticed that Goten was looking at her tentatively, waiting for the news. Chi Chi looked down; she couldn't bear to see the hurt shining in Goten's eyes when she was finished.  
  
"Goten, your father isn't coming home." Chi Chi finished looking up into his eyes. Goten sat there and blinked his eyes.  
  
"Mom, what are you talking about? He's probably out training with Vegeta right now. I know he'll be home a little late, but that's not the same as not coming home." Goten said disapprovingly.  
  
"Goten, I've seen this happen many times in my life, and I'm telling you, he won't be home." Chi Chi said standing up.  
  
"Mother, all those times you speak about…he has returned to you…and he will return home tonight too!" Goten said raising his voice and standing as well.  
  
"Goten! You don't understand!" Chi Chi sobbed.  
  
"No mother! You don't understand! He will be snoring in your bed when I wake up! You'll see!" Goten said storming upstairs. Chi Chi collapsed on the ground. She wished her son were right, and at one point, she believed he was right, but reality hit her hard and good.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Pan looked up for the first time in the longest of times.  
  
"You want to talk about it?" Trunks asked Pan as she was still in his arms.  
  
"Yeah." She barely whispered. "Trunks, why'd he leave? Is he going to be back? And if he is, when? Will it be in time for when I graduate, get married? What?" Pan asked throwing all those questions at him.  
  
"Pan, I wish I could tell you something, but I don't know what to do about this. I don't know when he'll be back. I wish I could tell you something, but I'm not capable of doing so." Trunks said.  
  
"But he promised me so many things. He said he loved me and he'd never hurt anyone or me! Why did he leave if he knew that he'd end up hurting me!" Pan sobbed again. She let the tears stream down her cheeks again. She didn't care that Trunks was watching her cry her soul out, for as long as he saw that she was hurt.  
  
"Pan, it's okay. Just let it all out. I can tell you now that I'm hurting too, and I'll miss him too, but we'll all have to hope and pray that he'll be back some day, and that we'll be able to move on. Does that sound okay to you?" Trunks asked.  
  
Pan continued to sob lightly, but nodded her head anyway.  
  
"Good, you want me to take you home now?" Trunks asked.  
  
"No, it's okay. I can go myself, I need to do some thinking by myself anyway." Pan said as she stood from the ground. "Trunks, thanks for listening." Pan said as she gave him a hug. He still sat on the ground, where he returned the hug.  
  
"Get home, I bet Gohan's worried sick about you." Trunks said.  
  
"Yeah, I will. Laters Trunks!" Pan said as she took off into the air.  
  
"Yeah, laters Pan."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Goten yawned and sat up in his bed. Yesterday had been a weird day. Getting up, he walked down the hall, and looked into his parents' bedroom along the way. Looking in, he expected to hear Goku's snoring. All he saw was his mother's lonely form on the bed. Goten looked around for any sign of Goku. He figured that Goku was probably eating breakfast right now.  
  
"Up and early today dad?" Goten asked looking into the kitchen. He peered around and saw no one there. He looked at the sink and saw that there were no signs of any dishes whatsoever.  
  
"Dad?" Goten called walking outside the tiny house. He glanced at the outdoor bath, and saw that Goku wasn't there either. Goten let it sink in now. Goku wasn't coming back. He wasn't going to be there to tell his goofy jokes, or to try and make Goten smile…or to be Goten's father. He let it sink in, and reality hurt. He sank down to the ground, and finally cried. Cried for the father he didn't have growing up, and the father he wouldn't have growing old.  
  
Chi Chi looked at her son from the window, and began to cry also. She knew it would hurt him, and she was sorry it did. She was scared that her son would never understand, and that he would in the end, turn and blame her. Now she really was confused. She only hoped that Gohan and, especially Pan, were taking it well. She hadn't heard from her eldest yet, and she didn't want to pry.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Gohan sat there and watched his wife sleep. He watched as her slow breathing began to increase, and her eyes fluttered open. She sat up in bed, with worried eyes looking over Gohan.  
  
"Are you okay honey?" Videl asked as she sat up. She let her hands run down his features.  
  
"Yeah, I'm okay. I can get through this Videl. I'm no longer affected by the fact that my father leaves, I'm used to it already. I'm a little afraid for Pan though. She isn't used to this kind of thing, and her and my father was really close. She's been bottling it all up lately, and I'm a little worried, but what can I do…right?" Gohan sighed.  
  
"Gohan, there's plenty that you can do." Videl reasoned.  
  
"Not with this Videl. I have to leave it to her. And if she's anything like her mother, she'll be stubborn as an ass." Gohan joked. Videl noted the change in situations, and hit her husband.  
  
"Yeah well, you have your moments when you're the biggest asshole on the planet." Videl said getting up and going to take a shower.  
  
Gohan quickly blurred and reappeared behind her with his arms wrapped around her. "Now isn't one of those moments, is it?" Gohan asked as he kissed her neck.  
  
"I still haven't forgiven you for that last comment, so don't try it." Videl said taking him off her and going into the connected bathroom. Gohan sighed and sat on the bed, he wondered how Pan was really taking it.  
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~ 10 Years Later ~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Pan grinned at all the people here. There were so many people here that made so many influences on her in her time. She glanced over and saw just as Trunks came into the room.  
  
"Hey honey." Trunks said kissing her on her cheek. "I'm so proud of you." He said referring to her graduating college.  
  
Pan grimaced, "why? So now I can help you with your work and can actually do it with an actual degree?"  
  
Trunks grinned, "Yeah, that too."  
  
Pan smiled at him. "Well, if you're a good boy, you'll get something else." She smiled devilishly. Screaming erupted from the dining room causing Pan to jump straight into Trunks' arms. She looked up at him and saw that he was grinning mad. She blushed embarrassingly, how could she let something as simple as a scream scare her. She was ready to get off, but Trunks interrupted.  
  
"No, don't move. I like it when you're this close." He grinned. Pan slapped him lightly and got out of his arms.  
  
"I'd love to stay like that with you all day honey, but I want to see what the commotion is all about." Pan laughed. She continued to laugh and smile until she got to the dining room. She got there and she was instantly happy, sad, and finally infuriated.  
  
The talking had quieted down. All eyes went from Pan to the unexpected guest.  
  
"I don't even want to talk to you." Pan said as she turned and walked outside. She took off into the night air, and she flew to wherever her ki could take her.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
He watched off into the distance as she flew away. He was ready to take flight, but was stopped by Trunks.  
  
"Let me talk to her. I don't think it's a good idea for you to go." Trunks warned nicely. He nodded his head, and allowed Trunks to take flight after her.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Trunks landed where he saw Pan.  
  
"Pan?" He called. He looked off into the distance and saw her curled into a little ball. There she was, on the floor crying just as she had done ten years ago. Trunks knew what to do, and he sat next to her. He wrapped his arms around her, and took her into his warm embrace.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
The unexpected guest took a look at Goten. Goten looked away in disgust. He looked over at Chi Chi, and he could read the mixed emotions that stir within her every being. He looked over at Gohan and he saw happiness, but also his concerned tuition for his daughter.  
  
Gohan noticed that no one was going to say anything, so he took it upon himself to get things started.  
  
"It's been a while, hasn't it father?" Gohan said to Goku.  
  
"Yeah, it has." Goku said feeling very ashamed of himself. "Look, I don't know what to say. Everyone doesn't seem to be too happy about the fact that I'm here, so I think I'll just go."  
  
"So typical of you father. To leave when you start something." Goten said, his icy glare directed elsewhere. Goku sighed. He knew what started this, and he was afraid to fix it.  
  
"Goten, I want to talk to you alone." Goku said.  
  
"No, I don't want to talk to you." Goten said, finally adverting his icy glare to Goku for the first time in ten years.  
  
"Goten, I want all three of us to go outside, now." Chi Chi said, butting into the conversation and proving her point. Goten's eyes never left Goku. "NOW GOTEN!" Chi Chi roared. Always abiding by his mother, Goten walked outside huffily.  
  
Marron was by his side with concern. "I'll be all right Marron, don't worry." Goten said kissing the top of her head. Nodding her head, she stepped to the side and let the family go out the door.  
  
She looked on worriedly to Bra, who wasn't too far away. "I'm worried Bra. I've never seen him this mad before. I'm really worried."  
  
"Don't worry Marron, you know that Aunt Chi Chi can take care of everything. She's a marvelous woman. She's made it this far, hasn't she?"  
  
"Yeah, I suppose you're right." Marron said, letting her eyes follow the door.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Goten levitated in the same manner that Piccolo does when he meditates.  
  
"I think we all need to talk before anything else happens." Chi Chi said looking between both men that she loved. She looked over to the door and noted that Gohan was coming out too. She waited for his arrival, and began her consoling session.  
  
"Goten, I want you to hear your father out." Chi Chi said to the far distant figure of her son. Goten looked over at his mother with the iciest glare possible.  
  
"And if I don't?" Goten questioned.  
  
"Watch your tone Goten." Gohan warned. Chi Chi silently thanked her eldest. Goten sighed in defeat, and just let his icy glare advert to his father.  
  
"Well?" Goten spoke almost as if he were the enemy.  
  
"I'm sorry." Goku said.  
  
"You're sorry? Is there anything else you want to say before you feel my wrath?" Goten questioned. He managed to get a slap in the head from Gohan, and a disapproving look from his mom and older brother.  
  
"Goten, I'm really sorry. But I had to go."  
  
"You had to go?" Goten said getting up and standing on his own two feet. "You mean that it was more important that you did God knows what than to be here with your own family?"  
  
"Goten please understand, I didn't have a choice."  
  
"Why not?" Goten asked.  
  
"Destiny." Goku responded solemnly.  
  
"Don't give me that destiny bullshit. Destiny is wrong, and evil. Destiny didn't give me the father I wanted, needed, and deserved. Destiny didn't give me a peace of mind when I heard my mother cry herself to sleep. Destiny didn't give my niece a nice childhood. Destiny didn't help my brother cope with the fact that his father was leaving again. No, destiny is not true. Destiny is evil." Goten glared.  
  
"Perhaps destiny is evil, Goten, but destiny is unchanged." Goku said.  
  
"No, destiny had nothing to do with this. You had all the power in the world to stay back for all of us, but you chose your own selfish path yet again. You knew very well that you had the power to change everything, but you thought of yourself again before you left. You know what it feels like to tell yourself that your father will be back for dinner, and your mother doesn't set a place for him because she knows that he won't be coming home after all? Do you know what it feels like to wake up and hope that he'll be snoring in his bed like he always is? No you don't." Goten finished.  
  
"Goten." Gohan said looking at his brother. "You're not the only one going through this you know."  
  
"You're wrong Gohan, I am alone. You got to grow up with him, you got to train with him, and you got to have a father. I met this man when I was 6, and he expected me to instantly love him. I did just that, and yet again, he left me. I meet up with him when it matters most, my teen life. And he leaves to train some other kid he just met…why didn't he just train his own son?! I was supposed to go on that Dragon Ball hunt and get closer to my dad, but Pan took my place. So no Gohan, you don't know what I'm going through. None of you know of the torment I faced. Do you want to know what it felt like to go to father-son day with your older brother or even your mother? It was terrible. Do you know what it felt like to go to family day without your father? Everyone thinking you have a dysfunctional family? No, you don't…none of you do."  
  
"Goten, I didn't know you felt this way. Why didn't you tell me?" Chi Chi sobbed. Goku came and comforted his wife, who happily accepted this show off affection. Goten's natural reaction was to sneer at this, which he did.  
  
"I didn't want to worry you mother. I was forced to grow up faster than anyone could believe. With my older brother married and gone, it was up to me to take his place, as well as my father's place. At the age nine, I couldn't be weak." Goten said. There were tears coming out of his eyes. This was the first time they had all seen him cry. Not the tears of a crybaby, but the tears of a grown man that was filled with utter hate, and searing pain.  
  
"Goten, I don't know what to say." Goku said solemnly.  
  
"Then don't say anything, I'm used to it already." Goten said taking flight. He didn't want to be in the middle of all this.  
  
Goku looked on after his youngest son. He looked over at his wife and eldest son.  
  
"Give him time Goku, just give him time." Chi Chi consoled.  
  
"It's good to have you home again dad." Gohan said giving his dad a hug.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Pan looked up into the night sky, with Trunks still embracing her from the side. She continued to play with the engagement ring that decorated her tiny finger.  
  
"Are you feeling better?" Trunks asked.  
  
"Yeah, I am. I think I should get back home and talk to him. It doesn't help the matter if I'm all the way over here, and he there." Pan said.  
  
"Pan, I'm glad that you're being very mature about this." Trunks said kissing the top of her head.  
  
"Yeah well, I don't have a choice. I'm related to this man, and I'm going to have to get used to him, right?" Pan smiled.  
  
"Yeah, I guess so." He said getting up. Following her, he also got up. They both looked over and sensed something in the bushes. They felt the ki, and recognized it.  
  
"You go back home, I'll take care of this. Tell them all that we're all right." Pan said to Trunks.  
  
"You promise that you'll be okay?" Trunks asked.  
  
"I swear on a kiss." Pan said leaning in and kissing him.  
  
"Okay, I'll see you at home. If you're not there by twelve, I'm coming after you." He teased.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just go." Pan said swatting his tush.  
  
And he was gone into the night sky. Pan looked over at the bushes, and sat on the ground.  
  
"You can come out now." She said. Goten came out with red eyes, and sat next to his niece. "You want to talk about it?" Pan asked.  
  
"I don't think so." Goten said.  
  
"You know Goten, it's not good to keep things in. I've known you all my life, and I know the some of the most secretive things that no one else knows because I'm the only one you've told. But I can tell you now that if you don't tell everyone else what you're feeling, it won't do much good."  
  
"I just came from home. We were all talking to dad…" And so, Goten continued his story.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Trunks touched down and walked around. He saw Goku sitting there. He wasn't eating, but just sitting there. Many thought it'd be a good idea to pretend that it was just like old times, but Goku just didn't seem up to it. He sensed Trunks, and instantly jumped up to meet him.  
  
"Hey Trunks. How have you been?" He said welcoming the young man with a strong handshake.  
  
"I've been good." He said taking a seat.  
  
"How are they doing?" Goku asked.  
  
"Well, Pan is all right now. She's being mature about this whole thing. She's talking to Goten right now. He was always closets with her and Gohan anyway." Trunks said.  
  
"That's good. It makes me feel a lot better. So tell me, what's been going on with you?" Goku asked, wanting to catch up with him.  
  
"Well, Pan and I are engaged. Now that she's graduated from College, she can officially take the place as Vice President. I've offered her the choice of Co-Presidency, but she wants to keep this business within my family only." Trunks shared.  
  
"Well, sounds like you and Pan did become something after the trip. I always sensed something would happen between you two." Goku smiled.  
  
"Yeah well, you never know how it is." Trunks said. Their conversation was interrupted when the door opened, and Goten and Pan came walking in. Goku stood up to greet them, and this time, Goten wasn't so cold.  
  
Goten walked up to Goku with the look of pure sadness. "I'm sorry father. Forgive me." Goten said hugging Goku just like he had done many, many years ago.  
  
"Goten, it's all right. We have the rest of our lives to get closer. I know we can't make up for what happened in the past, but we can do something." Goku said, referring to reconciling with his youngest son. He knew that he owed him so much, and he intended to pay him back with that and more.  
  
"Thanks dad. How about we start tomorrow with a good spar. We'll see if you still got it." Goten smiled.  
  
"Yeah, tomorrow son." Goku grinned his famous Son grin. Goten clapped him on the back, and walked to Marron to assure her that he was okay. Goku turned around again, and saw his granddaughter standing there. She was so unsure of what to do. She stepped forward one step at a time, until she was finally in front of him.  
  
"I'm sorry for that earlier remark. I shouldn't have been so rude." Pan said sheepishly.  
  
"No Pan, I think you had every right to be angry." Goku said. "But I don't want things to always be that way."  
  
"And neither do I." Pan said.  
  
"That's good. I'm really sorry too Pan. Why don't we start from where we left off." Goku said.  
  
"Yeah, that would make me feel better." Pan grinned. "I don't even want to know what you have been up to."  
  
"Yeah well, the usual."  
  
"Are you staying this time?" Pan asked worriedly.  
  
"I'll be around for your wedding, and if I make it, your children's weddings as well." Goku smiled. Pan happily launched herself into Goku's arms.  
  
"I missed you so much." Pan sobbed.  
  
"And I you Panny. You've grown so much, and I know I've missed a lot, but it won't happen again. I've done enough of being selfish, it's time to think about you guys." Goku said. Pan smiled, and was happy.  
  
"I know you're hungry Grandpa, so why don't you go and eat." Pan smiled.  
  
"You sure?" Goku asked.  
  
"Yeah, we'll be fine. The worst is over." Pan smiled.  
  
"Okay!" Goku said running off. Pan shook her head and laughed.  
  
"Some things never change."  
  
For the rest of the night, it was time to catch up, and forget all that wasn't in the past.  
  



End file.
